GREENVILLE, N.C. - Senior Brody Taylor tossed his third complete game of the season and four Pirate batters hit home runs in a 13-3 win over Tulane Saturday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

Taylor, a native of Shelby, allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out six to improve to 6-2 on the season. It was his second consecutive outing in which he went the distance on the mound.

Tulane (29-16, 6-7) starter Brandon Gomes lasted just 3 1/3 innings allowing eight runs on nine hits and walking one for his sixth loss of the season. Jonathan Garrett relieved Gomes in the bottom of the fourth working 3 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits, while Matt Goebel made his eighth appearance of the season in the bottom of the eighth to close out the game for the Green Wave.

Jay Mattox led four Pirates (28-16, 7-7) with multiple hits offensively going 4-for-5 from the plate with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and boosted his average to .345 on the year. Harrison Eldridge (3-for-5), Ryan Wood (2-for-5) and Ryan Tousley (2-for-4) each joined Mattox with two or more hits. Jake Smith (1-for-3), Adam Witter (1-for-3) and Jake Dean (1-for-4) each belted home runs on the night.

Tulane got on the board in the top first when Warren McFadden singled to left scoring Matt Riser for an early 1-0 lead.

Smith quickly tied the game at one in the bottom half of the first on a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Eldridge from third.

The Pirates plated four runs in the bottom of the third to take a 5-1 lead over the Green Wave. Witter's two-run shot to right center, his ninth of the season, highlighted the four-run inning. Wood drove in the third run of the inning on a single to left that scored Mattox and Brandon Henderson's ground out to third scored Wood for the final run of the frame.

Smith and Mattox each connected on long balls in the bottom of the fourth to help ECU extend its lead to 9-1. Smith hit his seventh of the season and Mattox ripped his fifth to left center.

Tulane added a run in both the sixth and seventh innings on a pair of solo shots. Ty Wallace smacked his first home run of the season in the sixth, while Nathan Southard cranked his sixth bomb in the seventh inning to close the game to 9-3.

Dean wasted little time in getting the runs back as he extended ECU's lead to nine, 12-3, in the bottom half of the seventh frame with a three-run shot down the right field line.

Mattox's fourth hit of the game plated the Pirates final run of the game pushing the score to 13-3 in the bottom of the eighth.

ECU and Tulane will play the rubber match Sunday morning at 11 a.m.

Game Notes

Attendance: 3,420

With the win, ECU moves back into sole possession of third place in the Conference USA standings.

Brody Taylor recorded his third complete game of the season and second in consecutive outings. He improved his career record to 14-2.

Jay Mattox extended his hitting streak to ten games with a single in the bottom of the first. He finished the game going 4-for-5 from the plate and posted his 20th multi-hit game of the season.